Pia Zebadiah resigns from national team after being dropped from the SEA Games’ squad
Indonesia’s Mixed Doubles shuttler Pia Zebadiah has resigned from the national team after being dropped from the squad for the SEA Games, which will take place at Istora Senayan indoor stadium in Bung Karno sports complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, from November
12 to 19.
Pia with the partnership of Fran Kurniawan failed to play good badminton and produce good results in the last two tournaments and lost the first round matches of the Denmark Open Premier Super Series and French Open Super Series. They have also lost their
top ten spot as they are slipped down at number 11 in the Mixed Doubles world rankings.
Indonesia’s Mixed Doubles coach, Richard Maenaky separated the pair as Fran has been paired with Shendy Puspa Irawati. However, Pia remains alone as she has got no partner so far.
She said, “It is true that I moved out because I no longer have a partner at the camp.”
Nevertheless, the coach also commented on the issue by saying that Pia already had the intention to leave the national squad. He knew her intention since the Indonesia Open in September, 2011.
While talking about the resignation of Pia, the coach said, “There was nothing I could do. I refuse to force a reluctant athlete to remain in my squad.
The Coach made changes in the national squad for SEA Games as he replaced Pia and Fran with the World Number 21 couple of Muhammad Rijal and Debby Susanto. He is optimistic for the bettor show from the new couple and is also hopeful for winning the gold
medal in the Mixed Doubles category.
Rijal is determined to give his best in the tournament. He said, “The deployment was indeed last minute, but we are ready. We will do our best to make an all-Indonesian, mixed doubles final possible.”
Besides Rijal and Debby, the top Indonesian couple of Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir will also participate in the Mixed Doubles event in the SEA Games. Tontowi and Liliyana are currently placed at number four in the Mixed Doubles world standings and are
the top favourites to win the gold medal in this particular category.
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